Pubdate: Tue, 17 Apr 2018
Source: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Copyright: 2018 Sun-Sentinel Company
Website: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/159
Author: Dan Sweeney
HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND ON MARIJUANA LIKE THESE POLITICIANS HAVE?
It didn't get much notice because it happened the same day Speaker of
the House Paul Ryan announced his retirement, but former House Speaker
John Boehner has announced that he's joining the board of Acreage
Holdings, an investment company concentrating on the marijuana
industry. In doing so, he added that his own position on legal
marijuana had changed as public opinion had come around on the subject.
And Boehner is far from the only previously anti-pot politician to
turn into an advocate.
In the nine states where recreational marijuana is legal, the
announcement by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions that the Justice
Department would crack down on the practice came with a lot of
hand-wringing. But President Donald Trump said last week that the
Justice Department shouldn't concentrate on legal use, easing those
fears.
In states where recreational marijuana has been legalized,
conservative Republicans that previously were against legalization
have stood up for their state's decision, citing it as an example of
states' rights in our federal system of government, Colorado Sen. Cory
Gardner being among the most notable examples.
States that have passed laws legalizing recreational marijuana in
recent years appear to have found some new, unexpected supporters:
Republican politicians.
Since voters began to pass recreational marijuana measures in 2012,
the pro-pot movement has seen swift support from many Democrats, with
States that have passed laws legalizing recreational marijuana in
recent years appear to have found some new, unexpected supporters:
Republican politicians.
Since voters began to pass recreational marijuana measures in 2012,
the pro-pot movement has seen swift support from many Democrats, with
. (Kurtis Lee)
Florida passed a medical marijuana constitutional amendment in 2016,
and has had a state law in place since last year. Since then,
thousands of patients have signed up, and more than 1,300 doctors have
completed the training requirements to recommend marijuana to
patients, according to the Florida Department of Health.
And Florida law may be expanding through the legal system. Although
the law permits just a handful of growers in the state, last week, a
court ruled that a lung cancer survivor in Tampa could grow his own
marijuana for medicinal use. The ruling was automatically put on hold
pending appeal, but on Tuesday, Leon County Circuit Judge Karen
Gievers overturned that as well, clearing the way for Florida's first
legal grower for personal use. Plus, another lawsuit, this one against
the state's ban on smoking medical marijuana, will be heard by the
courts in May.
Given the rapidly changing landscape for marijuana in Florida and
nationwide, we want to know whether readers have changed their minds
on the plant, which is still illegal under federal law. Do you now
support medical or recreational marijuana legalization when you used
to be against it? What changed your mind?
Or conversely, are you a previous supporter who is now having second
thoughts?
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MAP posted-by: Matt